Missing at Marshlands / Arden Blake Mystery Series #3

Snuf

urglar. More than ever the girls felt Melissa needed a friend. They talked over the situation, trying to piece together the girl's story and her father's denial of that part which blamed him. But whether he was entirely fair and just, trying to protect his daughter, or whether h

iting ocean drove all such serious thoughts from their minds. What c

. They were turning a golden tan, most becoming to all save Terry,

in surprise. Far out of the corner of her eye she coul

"Here comes our hero, and he's tramping right

to. But the oncoming "hero" didn't seem to mind. In fact, he sm

sually, while Terry an

gan-"I want to thank you for rowing over to the houseboat and back wi

rassed and not at al

empting to explain and for some reason apol

eplied reassuringly.

s quite surprised. I do not

ing more pronounced, and Sim and Terry sh

hing worry you," Arden hastened

your mother," he nodded to Terry, "to take tea with me on the housebo

eplied quickly, "and I

? I am letting up a bit in my work, and tomorrow I must

"We don't have many dates down here, and if Mot

xpect you. And now I must go home and bathe Tani

en fully dressed instead of merely wearing the inform

rprise!" g

rk!" insis

!" squeal

gly old name," went on Arden, as if anxious to re

y with assumed sophistication. "I a

divine," m

e have got to go right now and te

s out of sight. He'll think we've never been

had gone behind the small pavilion; then they

t the serious way they had of deciding what they woul

n high spirits, Terry puffing as much with excitement

a perfect host and with Old World courtesy succeeded in making them fe

ffy, greeting them all with a frien

e sighted the polished brass urn with

one it on the oil stove, but I thought you wo

m. "Won't you show Mother some of your

ng at," he replied modestly. And

," Arden interrupte

ir sea and a clear sky. The girls looked at it politely but hoped he would show them the covered canvas, and in fact Ar

is a thing of so much beauty. I do not show it to everyone; few people know I have it, and I ask y

could hear him moving something like a heavy piece of furniture, and then they heard the squeak of a key in a lock

h it were too precious to be exposed to the air. Silently they gathe

beheld the

y outstretched palm, they beheld a b

rus. But no othe

their still bewildered eyes which could now dis

th a delicately painted medallion top, the medalli

y, his own eyes glittering with t

r. Even she had fallen under the